Flooding at Ramana Nagar, Tiruvannamalai

As part of the natural climate cycle, after a long hot dry summer, at this time of the year Tamil Nadu generally receives a copious amount of rain during the monsoon. The below photographs were taken about a week ago, subsequently we have been receiving heavy rains most evenings, so water levels are daily increasing. 

Rains pouring down Arunachala

Rains coming from the summit creating streams down the side of the Hill

Agni Tank (Chengham Road) during de-silting operations

Agni Tank this monsoon season. The tank is one of the catchment areas for water pouring down the side of Arunachala. Notice the water running off Arunachala pouring into the tank at top of photograph.

Sometimes the water flow is so heavy the tank fills completely and becomes an "infinity" pond with the overspill pouring onto the adjacent Chengham Road

Palakothu Tank on a normal day

The Tank is in front of the Paul Brunton house and a favourite encampment for sadhus and sannyasins

Palakothu Tank beginning to fill up. Photograph taken 5 days ago

Water beginning to overflow sides of tank 5 days ago

Some irrigation ditches on the sides of houses in Ramana Nagar having problems coping with the heavy rains

Drains and waterways damaged in the rains

A number of homes on this street and at the bottom of lane have already been damaged this rainy season

Lots of damage this year to houses and buildings in the Ramana Nagar area. The above is a gate at Ramana Ashram damaged by the heavy rains

UNESCO Report: Historic Tamil Nadu Temples Falling Into Decay

The below is an extract from an article appearing in the Tamil Nadu section of national newspapers outlining a UNESCO Report examining the condition of historic Temples in Tamil Nadu. 

Vintage photograph of Theertham at Arunachaleswarar Temple (notice the then allowed sight of devotees bathing in the Tank)

A UNESCO Report has stated that many historic Temples across Tamil Nadu—in the care of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department—are now in ruins.

UNESCO'S findings indicate that officials of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department have presided over inexperienced conservation efforts which have led to the "massacre" of ancient Temples and looked the other way when there have been gross violations of rules, leading to encroachment and destruction of ancient artifacts. In addition the Department in charge of the administration of these Shrines and their maintenance has done little to stem the tide and preserve the State's history.

Experts with UNESCO undertook a fact-finding mission under the direction of the Madras High Court and discovered, among other things, that idols and sculptures at one 1,000-year-old Temple were vulnerable to theft. They also found several unauthorised structures on Temple premises.

"The quality of conservation work at the Temples assessed during the mission varied to a large extent with some good examples, some mediocre works and some truly shocking scenes of demolition and massacre of historic Temples," the Report said.

A six member team visited 20 Temples in the State over a three-month period, focussing on the conservation methods that the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department employs at ancient Temples.

The team was shocked to find a VIP guesthouse with a toilet in the prakaram (compound) of the famed Sri Arunachaleswarar Temple at Tiruvannamalai.

The Report declared that, "During a UNESCO consultation held on June 1, the Shaiva Agama brought to light that the building of toilets and guesthouses inside a temple is a violation of the agamas [tradition]."

In connection with other historic Tamil Nadu Temples, a Temple at Thanjavur (which historians believed the Cholas built for the coronation of Rajendra Chola 1 in the 11th century) has been demolished. Artifacts were strewn around Naganathaswamy Temple in Manambadi village near Kumbakkonam, with no security for the priceless pieces. 

UNESCO has recommended that the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department limits itself to the simple performance of rituals and assigns  conservation work to a specialised agency or the Archaeology Department or reorganise its structure to include technical experts.

It summed up that "Work is strictly to be carried out under experts in the field and not by contractors without experience of conservation."

Parvthamalai Girivalam 2017: Meditative Video

Parvathamalai 20 kms from Polur and 30 kms from Tiruvannamalai, is part of the Javadi Hills and accessible through Kadaladi village or Thenmadhimangalam. Parvatham means mountain and Parvatha Malai as it is called, connotes ‘Hill of Hills’ or ‘Queen of Hills’. Parvathamalai presents eight different shapes from eight directions around the hill. Parvathamalai’s close proximity to Tiruvannamalai ensures that it is infused with Arunachala’s radiating spiritual power.

Parvathamalai

The Sage of Kanchi (Kanchipuram) the great Sri Shankaracharya Chandrashekarendra Saraswati twice undertook pilgrimages of the Indian peninsula on foot from Benares in the North to Rameshwaram in the South. On one of those pilgrimages (written about in Paul Brunton’s book, ‘In Search of Secret India’) he visited Parvathamalai after his time at Arunachala. On seeing Parvathamalai he declared that it is in actual fact a Siva Lingam and proceeded to walk the 25 kms circumference base of the Hill. From that time the fame of Parvathamalai girivalam has spread.

Arunachala (centre back) from Parvathamalai Summit

Nowadays many devotees and pilgrims visit and climb the hill to worship at the Temple on the summit in order that they may attain bliss and enlightenment. Others following the example of the Shankaracharya prefer not to walk on the Hill itself but instead choose to perform the 25 km (approximately 8 hours to complete) girivalam around its base. The busiest times at Parvathamalai are the days of full moon, no moon and new moon.

Below is a meditative video compiled of sequential photographs of Parvathamalai Girivalam. The 25 km walk starts at Thenmadhimangalam where the main highways converge—the Hill is ever to the right and the video finishes at the starting point.

To find out more about Parvathamalai, visit this link here.

Rukku Goes on Vacation

Now that her onerous 2014 Mahadeepam Festival duties are complete, around December 6th our girl Rukku happily left Arunachaleswarar Temple by the Peyogopuram Gate. She is on her way by lorry to the annual 48-day rejuvenation camp for Temple elephants held in Tamil Nadu. 

Watch those ears going through the Gate Rukku

HAVE A HAPPY HOLIDAY PRECIOUS

Some friends at the Camp

Tremors felt at Tiruvannamalai

Tiruvannamalai District experienced earth tremors on Thursday morning, September 26th, after a gap of nearly 25 years, according to the Centre for Disaster Mitigation and Management, VIT University, Vellore. 

Vellore and Tiruvannamalai Districts have become seismically-active since 2002 and they have been reclassified into zone 3 (prone to quakes with up to 6.9 magnitude) from zone 2 earlier (up to 4.9 magnitude). 

Last Thursday at Tiruvannamalai, residents of Pudu Theru (i.e. Theru = Street), Pey Gopura Theru, Muthuvinayaga Theru and Mathalangula Theru; came out of their homes after the vessels in their houses fell down at about 8.20 a.m., as they feared more serious tremors. No damage to property or life has been reported. Residents returned to their houses only after ascertaining that there were no aftershocks. 

Thiruvoodal Theru leading to Pey Gopura Theru

 

The Indian Meteorological Department reported the Tiruvannamalai earthquake to measure 3.3 on the Richter scale and lasted for about three to five seconds. The epicentre of the Tremor is suspected to be in the Polur and Tiruvannamalai region, where an existing fault (planar rock fractures) passes from Salem to Tiruvallur. 

Earth tremors are a common phenomenon restricted to local conditions due to the readjusting of faults. In this respect around 105 tremors have occurred in Tamil Nadu in the last 200 years, with the majority measuring less than a magnitude of 5. Only a few of the earth tremors had a magnitude of more than 5; which included an earthquake in Coimbatore in 1900 (magnitude of 6) and one off the shores of Pondicherry in 2001 (magnitude 5.6). There are estimated to be around 286 fractured faults in Tamil Nadu, of which only around 47 have been found to be active. 

Tiruvannamalai District has only witnessed five tremors in recorded time. The first major one recorded was in 1822 at Vandavasi with a magnitude of 5, and later between Polur and Tiruvannamalai with a magnitude of 5. The same region witnessed another tremor in 1984 that had a magnitude of 3.3. 

[Information compiled from The New Indian Express]

Pongal Time of Sunny Celebrations

Pongal was originally a Festival for the farming community but nowadays it is celebrated by all. It follows the solar calendar and is celebrated on the same days each year. Pongal has astronomical significance: it marks the auspicious beginning of Uttarayana, the Sun's movement northward for a six month period and all important events are scheduled during this 6-month period. Four festivals are celebrated at Tiruvannamalai (and throughout Tamil Nadu) for four consecutive days during the Pongal Festival. 'Bhogi' on January 13th, 'Pongal' on January 14th, 'Maattuppongal' on January 15th, and 'Thiruvalluvar Day' on Jan 16.

On Bhogi old clothes and materials are thrown away and set on fire, marking the beginning of a new life. The second day, the Pongal day, is celebrated by boiling fresh milk early in the morning and allowing it to boil over the vessel - a tradition that is the literal translation for Pongal. People also prepare savouries and sweets, visit each other's homes, and exchange greetings. The third day, Mattu Pongal, is meant to offer thanks to the cows and buffaloes, as they are used to plough the lands. On the last day, Kanum Pongal, people go out to picnic.







In Hindu Temples; bells, drums, clarinets and conch shells herald the joyous occasion of Pongal. To symbolize a bountiful harvest, rice is cooked in new pots until it boils over. Some rituals performed in Temples include the preparation of rice, chanting of prayers and offering of; vegetables, sugar cane and spices to the Gods. Devotees then consume the offerings to exonerate themselves of past sins. Pongal signals the end of the traditional farming season, giving farmers a break from their monotonous routine. Farmers also perform puja to some crops, signaling the end of the traditional farming season.

I’ve made many postings about Pongal on Arunachala Grace, and to find out more about this wonderful Festival go to this link here and here.

Vintage Photographs

Right Click on all photos to view enlargements


Below are a set of vintage photos taken in Tamil Nadu which show the lives of ordinary people at the end of the 19th Century.

Fishermen, Madras, c1870

House Servants, Madras, c1870

Priest Kotagiri Temples, Nilgiri Hills, c1870s

The next four vintage photographs are taken in the late 1940s and show spiritual Tiruvannamalai.

Sacred Grove Shrine, c1940s

Arunachaleswarar Temple, c1940s

Ramana Ashram Gate, 1940s

Sri Ramana, c1940s

Elections

On my way home early afternoon, passed the Arts College on Chengam Road. On adjacent empty land, workers for the Jayalalitha political campaign are preparing for tomorrow’s rally at which former Chief Minister Jayalalitha will be giving a speech. Jayalalitha is currently leader of the opposition however elections are due mid May.

Being that Jayalalitha has shown herself to be a friend of Temple Elephants, in Tamil Nadu during her tenure as Chief Minister, she totally has my best wishes.

To read more about this fascinating ‘self-made’ woman and politician, go to this link here.

SEZ Public Hearing – Tamil Nadu

Further to an earlier posting on Arunachala Grace, about Land for Industrialisation concerning a 2,300-acre land parcel being readied for acquisition by a government-owned entity -- i.e. State Industries Promotion Corp.,(Sipcot) -- here follows a Press Release of the findings of an independent professional panel investigating SEZs (Special Economic Zones) in Tamil Nadu.

Press Release

5th February 2009, Chennai, Tamil Nadu:

Shocked by findings of large-scale violation of due process, lack of transparency and widespread instances of forced acquisition of farmlands and homesteads, a panel of ex-IAS officers, professors and social activists after hearing the grievances of affected people from seven districts of Tamil Nadu have recommended that the state government should immediately stop land acquisitions for SEZs and annul all notified and approved SEZs in the state. The panel prepared its report after hearing villagers from Oragadam-Sriperumbudur (Kancheepuram), Cheyyar (Tiruvannamalai), Ranipet (Vellore), Panapakkam (Vellore), Nanguneri (Tirunelvelli), Ennore (Tiruvallur) and Hosur (Krishnagiri) at a public hearing held on 3rd December 2008 by the Sirapu Porulaathara Mandalam Ethirpu Iyyakam (Movement against SEZs). The movement is a joint action committee of people affected by SEZ projects in Tamil Nadu.

“It is shocking to see how the state government is taking away the assigned lands, particularly bhoodan land in Oragadam for setting up of these SEZs” said Mr Louis Menezes, a retired IAS official who served as secretary, Government of India. “These lands were assigned to the most marginalised, mostly landless dalits,” he added.

The public hearing exposed as a lie the Government’s claim of “no dissent” amongst people whose lands are being acquired, and that no fertile agricultural lands are being acquired for SEZs. Villagers testified to acquiring of fertile nunjai (irrigated) agricultural land in almost all the areas, of village commons like grazing land and even eris (water bodies) and burial/cremation grounds for SEZs and other industrial purposes by Government-owned SIPCOT and TIDCO. “This is contrary to the stated industrial policy 2007 of the Tamil Nadu government where the Government has said it will not acquire fertile agricultural land,” said Prof Shanmugam Velayutham, Professor, Social Work Department, Loyola College.

“Women spoke about the hardships faced due to usurpation of village commons. They have no access to firewood, water sources, no privacy for sanitation, said Dr Neellavali from Initiatives:Women In Development.

With 122 notified and proposed Special Economic Zones (SEZs), Tamil Nadu boasts of the maximum number of SEZs in the country after Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. Even before the central SEZ Act was passed in 2005, Tamil Nadu had formulated its own policy on SEZs in 2003.

“The state government claims of generation of jobs, but it does not mention anything about loss of livelihood. Has SEZs in the state provided jobs to the farmers and landless people who have lost their livelihood?” asked Dr Gabriele Dietrich, Professor, Centre for Social Analysis, Theological Seminary, Madurai. “Tamil Nadu has highest number of landless people in rural areas. Such mindless acquisition of land is pushing people to the brink of destitution,” Dr Dietrich added. Dietrich is also national convenor of National Alliance of People’s Movements.

The public hearing panel consisted of:

Prof. Shanmugam Velayutham, Professor, Social Work Department, Loyola College, Chennai.
Mr Louis Menezes, IAS (retd.), Former Secretary, Government of India.
Mr M.G. Devasahayam, IAS (retd.), Managing Trustee, Citizens’ Alliance for Sustainable Living (SUSTAIN), Chennai.
Dr Neelavalli, Activist, Director, Initiatives: Women In Development, Chennai.
Dr Gabriele Dietrich, Professor of Social Analysis, Centre for Social Analysis, Tamil Nadu Theological Seminary, Madurai and National Convener of National Alliance of People’s Movements.

2008 Karthigai Deepam – South India

Karthigai Deeepam, or Karthika Deepam, is the festival of lights in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. In Tamil Nadu, it is observed on the full moon day in the month of Karthigai (November-December). In Kerala, the festival is known as Trikartika or Kartika Vilaku and is held in the month of Vrichikam (November – December).

This year December 11th is the day for the lighting of traditional oil lamps at dusk (approximately 6.05 p.m.). Karthigai Deeepam is also known as Bharani Deepam and Vishnu Deepam in Tamil Nadu and is an auspicious day for both Shaivites and Vaishanvites. Click here to read more

The Festival of Light -- Arunachala

“Deepam is a Hindu religious festival which merges myth and sacred time with the ordinary temporal flow since the distinction between myth and reality’ does not exist in India where even the passage of time is illusory.

The sacred mountain Arunachala was worshipped long before the Vedic culture penetrated into the southern Indian peninsular millennia ago. In the south Lord Siva became the notion of significance and Arunachala became the embodiment of Lord Siva. Kailash Mountain of Tibet is his abode where he meditates, but Arunachala Mountain is Siva Himself.

It was in comparatively recent history that the Vedic Divine personalities evolved on the subcontinent; they up-staged the primeval pantheon of elemental divinities worshipped since time before mind: Fire, Water, Space, Air, Earth. Sacred places associated with these most ancient divinities lie in the South. Arunachala is The Fire Place.




However it is not Fire that is of primary significance but Light: an invisible column of light signifying the Enlightenment that those embodied in human form have the capacity to realize. Realisation confers freedom from the bondage of identity with form, both physical and mental. The light of the Deepam flame reminds us of this. Deepam means Light.

The original myth is that aeons ago the gods Brahma and Vishnu challenged one another, each claimed to be able to reach the end of the universe. Lord Brahma (the Creator) headed up in the form of a swan, and Lord Vishnu (the Preserver) headed down as a Boar. Neither was successful in their task. Lord Siva (the Destroyer of Ignorance) pronounced the justice of this situation: that no embodied being has precedence over any other; that only what is prior to consciousness is real. What is real is quality-less. It is eternal, unequivocal throughout all dimensions of all worlds. Lord Siva showed himself as this eternal principal in the form of an endless column of Light invisible to mortal eyes. He named it Arunachala. This was given visible form as a Mountain, an icon for what is beyond form, fondly referred to by locals as ‘the Holy Hillock’.”

[Apeetha Arunagiri]

Water Sustainability

Extract from Report on Rain Fed areas by Planning Commission, New Delhi

“About 12 per cent of India suffers from the threat of desertification in the arid northwest and in a broad semi-arid zone from the Punjab in the northwest to Tamil Nadu in the south. There is an estimated 1.7 million km2 of arid land in India and Pakistan.”

With the huge increase of private borewells being sunk in Tiruvannamalai, the below extract from 'Report on Rain Fed areas by Planning Commission, New Delhi,' is very relevant and definitely something that needs to be considered by local Government.

“The most important aspect of groundwater is that it is a common property resource, the means of access to which is privately owned. We generally access groundwater through private wells and tubewells. But withdrawal of water from our source can adversely affect the water in our neighbour’s water source. Depending on the hydrogeology of the watershed, the question “who is my neighbour?” gets answered. If the watershed is in an alluvial tract, for example, my deep draw of water can affect a farmer even hundreds of metres away. Thus, how farmers decide to collectively manage the groundwater resources of the village could have a deep bearing on how long groundwater survives. It could actually determine the entire efficacy of the watershed programme. Indeed, one could go as far as to say that sustainable and equitable management of groundwater could be the key area of rural governance in the 21st century

The unique aspect of the situation is that water below my land is not "mine". Groundwater is a non-stationary, "fugitive" resource that merges into water under another's land in a fluid sort of way. By lowering the depth of his tubewell, my neighbour can squeeze all water out of my well. Without proper collective arrangements for groundwater use, there tends to be an infinite regress of competitive extraction, with farmers outbidding each other in depths of drilling. Competitive extraction of groundwater leads to disastrous outcomes, the worst of which are observable in coastal areas of Tamil Nadu and Gujarat, for example. Here, saline ingress of sea-water poses a virtually irreversible environmental hazard for farmers who have engaged in competitive pumping of groundwater.”

Happy Pongal

Pongal was originally a Festival for the farming community but today it is celebrated by all. It follows the solar calendar and is celebrated on the same days each year. Pongal has astronomical significance: it marks the auspicious beginning of Uttarayana, the Sun's movement northward for a six month period and all important events are scheduled during this 6-month period. Four festivals will be celebrated at Tiruvannamalai (and throughout Tamil Nadu) for four consecutive days during Pongal Festival. 'Bhogi' on January 13th, 'Pongal' on Jan 14th, 'Maattuppongal' on Jan 15th, and 'Thiruvalluvar Day' on Jan 16.

On Bhogi old clothes and materials are thrown away and set on fire, marking the beginning of a new life. The second day, the Pongal day, is celebrated by boiling fresh milk early in the morning and allowing it to boil over the vessel - a tradition that is the literal translation for Pongal. People also prepare savouries and sweets, visit each other's homes, and exchange greetings. The third day, Mattu Pongal, is meant to offer thanks to the cows and buffaloes, as they are used to plough the lands. On the last day, Kanum Pongal, people go out to picnic.

In Hindu Temples; bells, drums, clarinets and conch shells herald the joyous occasion of Pongal. To symbolize a bountiful harvest, rice is cooked in new pots until it boils over. Some of rituals performed in Temples include the preparation of rice, chanting of prayers and offering of; vegetables, sugar cane and spices to the Gods. Devotees then consume the offerings to exonerate themselves of past sins. Pongal signals the end of the traditional farming season, giving farmers a break from their monotonous routine. Farmers also perform puja to some crops, signaling the end of the traditional farming season.

To learn more about Pongal click here.

Temples in Tamil Nadu

An article entitled, "For the record, TN temples bigger" appeared in National papers throughout India. The following narrative is taken from 'Hindustan Times, Friday, December 28, 2007':-

**************************************************

"Have officials of the Guinness Book of Records committed a blunder by declaring Delhi’s Akshardham Temple as the largest Hindu temple complex in the world? It appears so. Officials of the famous Meenakshi Temple in Madurai maintain that Delhi's Akshardham is smaller than at least three different temple complexes in Tamil Nadu alone.

Meenakshi Temple

“Even if one considers the measurements of the Akshardham Temple given by the Guinness officials, Madurai’s Meenakshi Temple and the Arunachaleswarar Temple in Tiruvannamalai are definitely larger temple complexes,” said B Raja, joint commissioner of the Meenakshi Temple.

He pointed out that the outermost wall of the Meenakshi Temple is 850 ft long and 800 ft wide. The total area of the complex is 17 acres or 7.40 lakh sq ft. This is much larger than Akshardham which, press reports have indicated, is only 356 ft long and 316 ft wide, its grounds covering merely 86,342 sq ft.

Akshardham Temple

When informed that the entire Akshardham complex was spread over 30 acres, Raja said, "A temple is a place for prayer. It is incorrect to include facilities for non-religious activities such as restaurants or boating arrangements as the Akshardham complex has, as part of a temple, just because they happen to be in the vicinity."

Raja also noted that the Tiruvannamalai Temple dedicated to Lord Siva is even larger — at 25 acres or 10.89 lakh sq ft — than the Meenakshi Temple. “However, the built-up area in Madurai covers a wider area than Thiruvannamalai,” he said. Also the main tower at Tiruvannamali is 217 ft high.

Tiruvannamalai Temple

Even these two temple complexes are dwarfed in size when one takes into account the massive Sri Ranganthaswamy Temple complex in Srirangam near Tiruchy, a noted historian pointed out.

“Srirangam, surrounded by the waters of river Kaveri, is a 600-acre island-town enclosed within the seven walls of the gigantic Sri Ranganathaswami Temple. There are 21 gopurams, among which the Rajagopuram is the tallest in South India — it is 72 metres (about 220 ft) in height, and dates to the 17th century, although it was fully completed in 1987. The temple complex measures 950 metres by 816 metres (about half a square mile) along its outer perimeter,“ writes Prof VS Seshadri.

Sri Ranganthaswamy Temple

"But we are curious to know if their officials visited our large temples like Srirangam, Madurai Meenakshi, Thiruvannamalai and Thiruvarur temples before arriving at this verdict," said a senior official of the Temple Administration Department.

State Temple Administration officials, however, said they have no immediate plan to challenge the Guinness classification of Akshardham."

Karthigai Lamps

Lamps are of varied sizes, shapes and colours. Traditionally, lamps are lit in temples and agal vilakkus adorn the thinnais of houses. Bigger lamps made of mud; stone and metal are lit inside homes. The ancient Tamils are said to have even imported lamps from as far as Greece and Rome, through the ports of Arikamedu (near Puducherry), Mallai or Mamallapuram and Mylai or Mylapore (part of present-day Chennai). One such imported lamp was of the hanging variety, designed in the shape of a swan with a fish placed at the top.

Another variety of lamp, common in Tamil Nadu from early times was the Lakshmi Vilakku or Pavai Vilakku. It was shaped like a woman (bearing in her folded palms), the shallow bowl containing oil for lighting the lamp.

At Arikamedu, archaeologists have unearthed a flat circular clay lamp with four nozzles or petals or openings for four wicks. Another clay lamp discovered at this site has 12 nozzles.

The ubiquitous five-nozzle kuthu vilakku has been in use from the days of the Cholas or perhaps even earlier. When the British East India Company began to rule parts of South India, it featured the petals or nozzles of the kuthu vilakku on some of the coins that were minted. The five petals or nozzles are also said to denote the five main elements are supposed to represent the five elements of Nature — earth, water, fire, air and sky or space. The five nozzles are also said to denote the five main elements needed for a successful life — health, wealth, learning, courage and longevity.

Silver Kuthuvilakkus

The three Gods Bramha, Vishnu and Shiva are believed to be present in the Vilakku. At the base part is Bramha,the middle part Vishnu and the broad part on top is Shiva

The Glow of the vilakku is represented as Goddess Lakshmi,the Light by Goddess Saraswati and the Heat by Goddess Parvati.

Vilakkupic

The five wicks in the kuthuvilakku represents our five senses and also the Panchaboothangal: 5 elements of the World; Earth, Water, Air, Sky and FireTraditionally, after Karthigai, most of these lamps, except for those in daily use, were cleaned and stacked away, and taken out only the next year for the festival. In the old, tiled-roof houses, agal vilakkus were invariably stacked in the loft beneath the roof.

Festival of Lights

Karthigai Deepam — the festival of lights celebrated throughout Tamil Nadu during the month of Karthigai (November-December), is the oldest festival celebrated in the State. Also, unlike many other Hindu festivals, Karthigai is basically a Tamil festival and is virtually unknown in most other parts of the country.

One of the earliest references to the festival is found in the Ahananuru, a book of poems, which dates back to the Sangam Age (200 B.C. to 300 A.D.). The Ahananuru clearly states that Karthigai is celebrated on the full moon day (pournami) of the Tamil month of Karthigai. It was one of the most important festivals (peruvizha) of the ancient Tamils. Avaiyyar, the renowned poetess of those times, refers to the festival in her songs.

Inscriptions in Tamil temples also refer to the festival. A mid-sixteenth Century inscription at the Arulalaperumal temple in Kancheepuram, refers to the festival as Thiru Karthigai Thirunal. Karthigai is essentially a festival of lamps. The lighted lamp is considered an auspicious symbol. It is believed to ward off evil forces and usher in prosperity and joy. While the lighted lamp is important for all Hindu rituals and festivals, it is indispensable for Karthigai.

[By S.Suresh]

Have we changed the name?

Have we changed the name? Because nobody has told me or anyone else here at Tiruvannamalai!

Well I feel a little disappointed in my previously respected source of what I considered good information - i.e. Wikipedia, 'the free encyclopedia'. A couple of times when supplying a link to articles mentioned in my narratives, I referred to Wikipedia as an authority, however specialists of subjects of some of the narratives got in touch to suggest better links. I rather think those people are now right because of my own experience with Wikipedia, 'the free encyclopedia'.

Go to the 'Wikipedia' site at http://www.en.wikipedia.org/ and type 'Arunachala' in the search box and you will be sent to 'Annamalai Hill'. Which is an article supposedly maintained by the 'Tamil Nadu Work Group, to 'improve organisation and standardised look and feel of articles related to the Indian State of Tamil Nadu.' The Group has decided to abandon the name 'Arunachala' (Sanksrit) in preference for the name 'Annamalai' (Tamil).

Ironically in their blurb on the 'Annamalai Hill' page, the Group also kindly informs us that; 'This place is also known by the names Arunagiri, Annamalai, Arunachalam, Arunai, Sonagiri and Sonachalam'. Not once mentioning the accepted and loved name (used since antiquity) of 'Arunachala'.

On further investigation I also see that 'Arunachaleswarar Temple' has now been christened 'Annamalaiyar Temple' by the Tamil Group intelligentsia.

Yesterday evening I performed giripradakshina around the Hill, and pretending I was a new arrival to the area, asked many local, ordinary Tamil-speaking residents - 'What is the name of this Hill?' Each one answered 'Arunachala' on my second enquiry, 'Isn't the correct name Annamalai Hill?' I was invariably and patiently informed, 'Annamalai' is a name for Shiva, but the Hill is Arunachala and the God, Arunachaleswarar.

Well the Tamil language intelligentsia have been very successful in lots of expensive, unnecessary name changes i.e. Madras to Chennai, etc., so one needs to wait and see. But one thing for sure I will definitely be using Wikipedia a whole bunch less.

Welcome to Arunachala Birds

Today we started posting on Arunachala Birds, the third Blog of Arunachala Grace Network, and dedicated to sharing information about Birds and the related ecosystem of Arunachala and surrounding countryside. As well as information about the species of indigenous and migratory Birds at Arunachala, we will supply news and developments that will affect the life of Birds and Animals of the area.

Over the coming months we hope to give up-to-date information about Samudram Lake and the efforts of interested parties to develop a bird sanctuary at Tiruvannamalai. There will also be information and details of the species of birds both indigenous and migratory to this area.

The above photograph is of the beautiful 'Emerald Dove' an infrequent but common bird at Arunachala, which also is the official State Bird of Tamil Nadu.

Helmet Rule?

Yesterday, a day after the official 'commencement' of the compulsory wearing of helmets for motorcyclists and pillion riders in cities across Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi directed that the rule not be implemented 'very vigorously'.

The directive, which, officials said, was intended to prevent harassment of the public, comes in the wake of continued opposition to the rule. Parties have appealed to the Government to exempt women from wearing helmets. A lawyers' forum in Madurai has threatened to take out a 'helmetless' two-wheeler rally demanding that the new rule be rescinded. There is also widespread opposition to mandatory helmets for pillion riders.

After going through representations, the Chief Minister, said the general order regarding the compulsory use of helmets should be regarded as a requirement of the Madras High Court and a life-saving measure. However, he ordered that the authorities should not put the general public to any kind of hardship by way of 'vigorously' enforcing the general order.

Somehow I just don't think this new regulation is even going to work even in Chennai and other metros let alone make its way to Tiruvannamalai!

Archaka Centres

Six 'Archaka' training centres were recently inaugurated in Tamil Nadu, which would offer a one-year certificate course in 'Agama Sastras'.

The centres were set up at Sri Parthasarathy Temple, Triplicane, and Sri Ranganathar Temple, Srirangam, for giving training in Vaishnavite (Vishnu) customs. For training in Saivite (Shiva) customs, the centres have been established at Sri Arunachaleswarar Temple, Tiruvannamalai, Sri Meenakshi Temple, Madurai, Sri Subramania Swamy Temple, Tiruchendur and Sri Dandayuthapani Temple, Palani.

Apart from a monthly stipend, students are to be given free board and lodging. Those who complete the course will then be eligible to perform regular pujas in Temples. As well as opening six more centres, it is also planned to start three-year degree courses in the 'Agama Sastras*', thereby making students eligible to perform Temple Kumbhabishekam.

40 students are to be given training at each centre with selected students coming from various communities.


* Agama - The Scriptures

A sacred text used as source of spiritual ritual. The Agamas are an enormous collection of Sanskrit scriptures which, along with the Vedas, are revered as revealed scripture. The Agamas (i.e. "that which came down") are part of an oral tradition believed to be 7,000-8,000 years old.

The Agamas are the primary source and authority for ritual, yoga and temple construction. In the South Indian Saivite tradition, there are 28 Saiva Agamas.

Mortgaged Property

Chairperson of the Debts Appellate Tribunal recently said (at a Chennai meeting), that Banks should be required to take steps to register mortgaged properties. At present equitable mortgage is not reflected in encumbrance certificates issued by registration offices. Thus, people buying mortgaged properties come to know of an encumbrance only when the property is put up for sale.

If such a regulation was put into effect, it would go some way in ensuring potential property purchasers (throughout Tamil Nadu, and in particular Tiruvannamalai District) would know right at the beginning of negotiations the extent of all existing mortgage encumbrances on the property they wished to purchase.